FILE PHOTO: Ho Lung Richard Ho Lung, Columnist
IF HIS words seemed absurd to many when Jesus spoke the Beatitudes on a mount in Palestine nearly 2000 years ago, they would seem totally ridiculous today! Happiness in poverty? In meekness, purity and even in persecution?
Yet this is wisdom, profound wisdom. The truth, way, and the life.
Imagine a crowd of 100 people living together in one place unrelated to each other, several of them mentally unsound and unstable, others crippled or mute, still others elderly and sick in varied ways. All suffering in some way and have gone through much suffering in their past, cast away by family and friends, homeless and destitute. One would expect hell. Chaos, bitterness and anger. Shouting, quarrelling and fights. But no! They're joyful. There's laughter and smiles. They give and share. There's order and peace. This is the reality at Faith Centre, Jacob's Well, Lord's Place, Good Shepherd and Bethlehem Home, the homes run by the Missionaries of the Poor in Kingston, where we have several hundreds of such persons. And this is also the reality in all the overseas missions we have. People expect the worst when they come here; but they leave with the best. What a mystery! People wonder how this could be, if it's really true. It's very simple just follow the Beatitudes.
QUARRELS AT TIMES
Yes, there are quarrels at times, sometimes it can get confusing. But order is restored very quickly. Apologies are offered, forgiveness is given. Embraces, smiles, and there's peace and unity. It's a family.
Everyone is treated with dignity and respect. No one is made to feel lesser or lower than anyone due to his or her illness or past life. No matter what, each is God's child and they're treated as such. In fact, the weaker ones get the greater attention as said by St. Paul (see 1 Cor. 12:22-24). This not only comes from our MOP brothers, priests and lay volunteers. After being at our centres for a while, the residents themselves catch-on to this spirit the spirit of the Beatitudes. They see the beauty of living this way the freedom, joy and peace it brings and they practice it themselves and encourage the other residents to do the same. And it works!
The same thing happens in our religious community, among our Brothers. We come from varied nations and backgrounds Africans, Indians, Filipinos, Caribbean, American yet there's unity.
We share our joys and sorrows together. We share our blessings and burdens together. There is much strength in such unity. That's what makes it effective for us to do so much, to house and feed and care for so many around the world with so few and so little! The five loaves and the two fish that feed the 5,000!
VIOLENT ACTS
Today we experience an unprecedented level and degree of violent acts not only physical violence, but also moral and emotional.
There's anger within people, looking for an outlet to explode. There is restlessness, emptiness. There's vengeance, hatred, suspicion and cynicism. There's disappointment within. The promise that health and wealth will lead to happiness has proven false.
In the face of this reality, it is tempting to become bitter, angry, discouraged and to lose hope. Depression and suicides are increasing at an alarming rate around the world. The vastness of poverty and destitution, the immensity of wars and suffering seem insurmountable. But we must not lose hope.
What we need to have is faith in the words of Jesus. It may seem absurd, but it is the truth. With this faith, we must begin each one doing our part. For it is the parts that make up the whole.
The world is made up of nations, nations of societies, societies of families, and families of persons. We crave for peace in the world, but it begins with each one being at peace with God, self and those who live with us.
WE MUST SHARE
We must reach out and share our bread with the hungry, bring the homeless poor into our house, when we see the naked, to cover them then our healing shall spring up speedily, then we shall call, and the Lord will answer; we shall cry, and he will say, here I am (see Isaiah 58:7-9).
Then we shall have peace and unity in the world, at least in the world immediate to us. God bless us all. May this holy season of Lent prepare us to celebrate the great celebration of our redemption!
Father Richard Ho Lung is founder and leader of the Missionaries of the Poor.
